Ski binding release checking device



Dec. 6, 1966 G. c. LIPE ETAL SKI BINDING RELEASE CHECKING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1965 I N I EN TORS. GORDON C LIPE CHARLES W. HINDS 6, 1955 G. c. LIPE ETAL 3,289,472

SKI BINDING RELEASE CHECKING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR.

GORDON C. LlPE CHARLES W. HINDS Dec. 6, 1966 c, ETAL 3,289,472

SKI BINDING RELEASE CHECKING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS.

GORDON C. LIPE CHARLES W. HINDS Dec. 6, 1966 G. c. LlPE ETAL 3,289,472

SKI BINDING RELEASE CHECKING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS F 3 GORDON Cum-m0 UP; BY CHARMS Mme/i515 Hwos United States Patent 3,289,472 SKI BINDING RELEASE CHECKING DEVICE Gordon C. Lipe, West Lake Road, and Charles W. Hinds, 67 State St, both of Skaneateles, N.Y. Filed Apr. 22, I965, Ser. No. 452,448 6 Claims. (Cl. 73133) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 149,623, now abandoned, filed November 2, 1961, by the same applicants. The invention relates generally to ski equipment, and has particular reference to novel structure for checking the operation and adjustment or release type ski bindings such as are in widespread use at the present time.

In the invention a device is provided for checking the release performance of a ski binding in which a yieldable toe plate is arranged to release in response to a twisting movement of the ski boot relative to the ski, so that in the event of a serious fall the skiers foot will be released from the binding and will prevent broken bones, strains and sprains such as might result in the case of an improperly mounted or adjusted ski binding.

The use of yieldable toe plates as a means to release the ski boot from its binding has been prevalent for some time and the necessity for some form of release for ski bindings and a means by which a release may be controlled and adjusted to operate under a certain pressure has been long recognized, but until the present time the best means of determining the pressure under which the release will operate has consisted of striking the side of the boot with the fist at the greatest possible pressure and adjusting the screw on the toe release so that the boot will be released at that pressure. Now, it is obvious that the pressures exerted by striking a fist against -a boot will vary widely from person to person and even from time to time for the same person, and the only sure way to determine that the ski binding is set too tight is to break a bone or severely strain a muscle when the binding fails to release at the proper time. The safe pressure at which the toe release should operate will also vary from person to person and a binding for a childs ski should release at a much lighter pressure than that at which a binding for a mans ski would release. If a mans ski binding were set at the proper pressure to release for a childs ski, the man would be unable to use the skis since the binding would release during normal movement of the ski and boot and thus skiing would be impossible.

It will be understood that the above-mentioned yieldable toe plates operate to release the toe of the ski boot so that the boot can swing sideways when pressure is placed upon the end of the ski which would otherwise act to break the ankle of the skier. A metal toe piece is attached to the ski and a tension screw fastens it thereto, the metal toe piece being configured so that the toe of the boot fits into it. When undue pressure is placed upon the ski boot, the tension screw releases and loosens the toe piece holding the ski boot, thereby enabling the ski boot to swing free of the ski, and preventing broken bones in the ankle or leg.

The basic concept underlying the present invention is that a vast majority of skiers are safety conscious and feel the need to be protected from broken bones, strains and sprains while enjoying the sport. These skiers purchase safety release bindings in the belief that these bindings produce the desired safety. However, no means has heretofore been provided that enables the skier to consistently adjust these bindings to a degree of safety within the limits of hi ability, weight, age, physical condition and experience. All of the various models of bindings in use are adjustable beyond the point of safety for the individuals who use them.

3,289,472 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 It is, therefore, a main object of the invention to provide a means for proper adjustment of the ski binding devices above discussed and therefore to prevent many or all of the unnecessary accident due to improper adjustment of the release mechanisms so involved.

Another and related object of the invention is to pro vide a calibrated loading against the side of a ski boot which duplicates the loading imposed during a fall when skiing in order to adjust the safety bindings of the skis to cause the bindings to release at a given predetermined load as determined by research.

These and other objects will become evident in a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings of the present invention, which provides novel structure for checking the release of a ski binding and for determining the safe pressure at which the release should be set to operate to prevent broken bones and strained muscles. Therefore, in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a release checking device embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIGURE 1 showing a portion of a ski, ski boot and binding mounted in the device for testing;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the actuator-plunger assembly taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the device of FIGURE 1 showing the parts in position for performing a checking operation;

FIGURE 5 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 4 showing the parts in inoperative, carrying position;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a bench model of the release checking device;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of another form of the release checking device of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a left end elevation of the device of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the device of FIG- URE 7, partly in section to show the manner in which the interior parts are assembled;

Having reference now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers indicate the same part in each of the views, FIGURES l5 illustrate an easily portable form of the invention which is particularly adapted for checking the adjustment of a yieldable toe plate or toe engaging portion of a releasable ski binding. In this form of the invention, the checking device comprises a base portion 34) having a force applying means indicated generally at 31 and a portion 32 over which a ski is positioned during use as shown in FIGURE 2. On the side of the ski opposite the iorce applying means, base portion 30 is provided with upstanding pins 34 which engage the edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof.

The force applying means 31 includes a support 35 that is rigidly connected to the base 30 as by rivets 37. The support is formed with a horizontal bore 38 in which a tubular actuator member 40 is slidably mounted for movement towards or away from the ski receiving portion of the device. Movement of the actuator member is effected by means of a swingable handle assembly cornprising a pair of links 41 the lower ends of which are pivot-ally connected to the support at 42 and the upper ends of which are connected together by across piece 44. Pivotally connected to the handle links 41 are a pair of rearwardly extending links 45, the rear ends thereof being pivotally connected to the rear end of the actuator unember by means of a pin 47 and bushings 48.

Slidably mounted in the forward part of the actuator member 40 is a cylindrical plunger 50, FIGURE 3, having a normally outwardly projecting reduced diameter portion 51. The reduced diameter portion of the plunger results in the formation of a shoulder 52 thereon, and the forward end of the actuator tube is fonrned with an inwardly turned lip 54 which provides a stop for the shoulder and prevents outward movement of the plunger relative to the actuator beyond the point shown in FIGURE 3. An ring 55 or the like is mounted on the reduced diameter portion of the plunger between the shoulder 52 and lip 54 to serve as a bumper or shock absorber when the plunger moves in the outward direction Within the actuator as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The plunger 50 is urged into its outermost position relative to the actuator member by a calibrated compression spring 57 that is confined within the actuator between a washer 58 abutting against the inner end of the plunger and a plug 60 in the rear end of the actuator, the plug being held in position by means of the pivot pin 47. At its outer or forward end the plunger is provided with a boot engaging head 61, and in between this head and the actuator lip 54 it is inscribed or otherwise marked with force indicating graduations 62 which will be presently described in greater detail. A second O-ring 64 or the like is mounted on the outwardly projecting portion of the plunger, and the zero graduation mark, FIGURE 3, is located on the plunger so that it is in line with the outside of the O-ring when the inside of the ring abuts against the actuator lip 54 as shown.

To use the above described device to check a release binding, the skiers boot 65, FIGURE 2, is mounted in the binding in the usual manner and the ski 67 is then positioned on the portion 32 of the device with one edge abutting against the upstanding pins 34. In the illustrated example, the binding includes a yieldable toe plate 68 of any one of a number of well-known types, the plate being adapted to pivot about the point 70 when there is dangerous twisting between the boot and ski to allow the boot to swing laterally in either direction and become disengaged from the plate.

The ski is located on the device so that the plunger head 61 will engage the boot sole approximately an inch behind the front end of the boot when the handle assembly 41 is swung in the counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to move the plunger into contact with the boot. In this connection, it should be noted that the height of the plunger above the base portion 30 of the device is such that edgewise engagement with the boot sole is ensured for nearly all equipment in which the ski is of substantially standard thickness.

With the plunger head engaging the edge of the boot sole as shown in FIGURE 2, continued counterclockwise or leftward movement of the handle assembly 41 results in the application of a lateral force on the boot. Thus, the handle movement operates through the links 45 to move the actuator member toward the boot, or to the left as viewed in FIGURES 1-5. Since the plunger 50 is initially held against movement by reason of its engagement with the boot, the actuator movement causes the spring 57 to compress, the left end of the spring exerting an ever increasing force against the inner end of the plunger. When the spring force acting on the plunger reaches the force needed to cause the binding to release, the latter does release by reason of the fact that the lateral force on the boot exceeds the force exerted by the toe plate 68 which norm-ally resists lateral movement of the boot. The boot, therefore, swings to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2 and at the same time causes the toe plate to release and pivot in the clockwise direction about its pivot point 70.

In the above described action, as the actuator member 40 is moved to the left, and while the plunger 50 is still held against movement by the boot, the actuator lip 54 moves leftwardly along the reduced diameter portion 51 of the plunger and pushes the O-ring 64 ahead of it. The movement of the actuator relative to the plunger at this time also causes the spring 57 to be compressed, as previously noted, and causes the actuator lip to move away from the plunger shoulder 52. By the time the binding releases, the ring 64 will have been pushed to one of the force indicating graduations 62 to the left of the zero graduation mark and when the plunger suddenly moves to the left under the action of the spring, the ring will remain in that position due to frictional engagement between it and the plunger. In the rapid leftward movement of the plunger to the position into which the actuator has been advanced, the plunger shoulder 52 is prevented from banging against the actuator lip 54 by the interior O-ring 55.

The graduation mark 62 on which the O-ring is positioned after the binding releases indicates the force required to effect the release. Thus, the graduation mark numbers shown in FIGURE 3 relate to a chart (not shown) which is provided with the device. This chart has for a skiers weight and proficiency the graduation mark at which his binding should release, the chart being the result of a very substantial amount of research and testing. As an example, if a skier is classed as an intermediate in ability and weighs lbs, the chart will show for him the number 12 and the O-ring 64 should be at that graduation mark when his binding releases or adjustment is required.

In order to ensure that each checking device is calibrated exactly like every other device and therefore that the chart is completely accurate for each, the plunger 50 and compression spring 57 are precisely constructed and calibrated parts. The spring, in practical embodiments of the invention, is calibrated at a rate of 70 lbs/in. plus or minus 2 lbs., and is made to close specifications so that every spring has the same rate. In addition, the springs are checked against a precise master spring from which the chart is derived.

While the element 64 is referred to as an O-ring and is shown in the drawings with a circular cross section, it will be apparent that other types of movable indicators with different cross sections can also be used. With reference to FIGURES 4 and 5, the former shows the actuator member 40 and plunger 50 in their most retracted position ready to move the plunger into engagement with a boot. In FIGURE 5, the checking device is shown in its compact carrying position with the handle assembly 41 folded all the way forward and the head 61 of the plunger received in a recess 71 formed in the under side of the handle cross piece 44, the plunger being releasably held in this position by compression spring 57.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a slightly modified form of the invention which is intended to be mounted on a work bench for use in ski shops and the like. To this end, the base portion 30' of the device is substantially larger than that of the portable device shown in FIGURES l-S, the base portion being in the form of a metal plate approximately three feet long by nine inches wide. The base portion is provided with corner holes so that it can be secured to the bench as by screws 74 and is also provided with a pair of clamps 75 for releasably holding the ski 67 in position on the device. As in the portable model, one edge of the ski abuts against a pair of upstanding pins 34 and the force applying means 31' is located adjacent the opposite side of the ski. The force applying means has the same construction and operation as the force applying means 31 of FIGURES 1-5 except for the support 35 which is heavier and stronger because of the more constant use of the bench model.

FIGURES 7-9 illustrate a somewhat simpler form of portable device that includes a frame or base portion 11 which fits under a ski near the front of the boot as indicated in FIGURE 2 and has a stop 12 which supports the ski against lateral movement away from the remaining portion of the device. A knob 18 is attached to a movable actuator in the form of a screw 17 which is in threaded engagement with a support portion 14, 19 of the device. This screw applies the load laterally against the side of the ski boot at the sole thereof and on the side opposite stop 12. A plunger 16 floats within the screw 17 and butts directly against the sole of the ski boot with a coded scale at the opposite end thereof on which the correct load for a given skier is read. The plunger end is serrated at 15, which serrated end contacts the sole of the boot. A groove is provided in the plunger and a snap ring 20 or other retention device is attached thereto and acts as a stopping means for one end of a compression spring 21 which surrounds the plunger 16, the other end for this spring being stopped by the handle 18 of the device.

The plunger 16 is graduated at the knob end to indicate safe and unsafe pressures at which the safety bindings release. In FIGURE 9 of the drawings, these graduations are indicated at 25, 26 and 27 and these three areas are lined to show color; 25 being red, 26 being yellow and 27 being green. A nut 22 and a washer 23 are used to connect plunger 16 to the knob 18. It is also contemplated that these graduations could take the form of a numbering system, as 1 to 10, rather than the color coded system.

Operation of the checking device of FIGURES 79 is achieved by placing the frame 11 under the ski so that the ski rests on portion 13 of the frame and one side of the ski is set against stop 12, the ski boot being in position on the ski and the toe and heel release mechanisms being set. The serrated end of the plunger should be in line with the sole of the ski boot. To operate the device, the knob 18 is rotated in a clockwise direction to turn screw 17 until the plunger 16 comes in contact with the sole of the boot, at a point approximately three-quarters of an inch to an inch from the toe of the boot. The turning of the knob is continued and pressure builds up in the spring 21 as the screw rotates, since the boot sole resists the plunger, thereby causing the right end of the plunger to protrude from the knob 18 and revealing the green portion of the color coded scale. The knob is turned until the pressure of the plunger 16 on the sole of the ski boot causes the toe release mechanism to release the ski boot. The pressure required to release this mechanism can be determined from the amount of the plunger 16 which is visible at the right end of the handle 18, the green area indicating low pressure, the yellow area indicating a higher pressure and the red area showing a still higher pressure usually indicating that the toe release mechanism is set too tight for most skiers and thereby warning the user to loosen the tension screw and recheck the setting, this process being repeated until the checking mechanism indicates that the ski bindings are set to be safe for use.

The spring 21 is not subject to set since it returns to free length after use and acts as a protective means for plunger 16 in protecting the graduations thereon. The spring in this modification occupies a space of three inches and is wound into fourteen coils within that space. The spring butts against washer 24 adjacent to snap ring 20 at one end and directly against knob 18 at the other end, as clearly seen in FIGURE 9 of the drawings.

The plunger 16 floats within the screw, thereby permitting direct reading of the scale with no adjustments necessary for different Widths of skis or boots. The device is adaptable to all types of skiis and bindings. The particular pitch of the screw allows fast operation yet holds the position of the plunger steady so that the release bindings may be adjusted while under load.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and highly useful device which is capable of materially increasing the safetly of skiing as a recreational sport.

As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed are, therefore, to be cons dered in all respects as illustrative rather than restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for checking the release point of a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski, a base portion over which a portion of the ski is adapted to be positioned, means on said base portion engageable with one edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof, means on said base portion for applying to a ski boot mounted in the ski binding a force sufficient to cause the binding to release, said force applying means including a cylindrical plunger member engageable with the sole of the boot and having force indicating graduations thereon, a resilient O-ring mounted on said plunger member in the area of said graduations, operation of said force applying means to effect a release of the binding being operable to move said O-ring along the plunger member to the graduation thereon that indicates the amount of force that was required to effect the release, said O-ring having a frictional engagement with said plunger member whereby the ring remains at said graduation after the release has been effected.

2. A device for checking the release point of a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski, said device comprising in combination a base portion over which a portion of the ski is adapted to be positioned; means on said base portion engageable with one edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof; support means on said base portion; an actuator member movable horizontally in said support means; a plunger slidably mounted in said actuator member; the outer end of said plunger being engageable with the sole of a ski boot mounted in the ski binding, said plunger-boot engagement being at a point on the opposite side of the ski from said base portion edge engaging means; a compression spring positioned in said actuator member, said spring being engaged at its opposite ends by an end of the actuator member and the inner end of said plunger; means to move said actuator member towards the ski boot, said actuator movement causing said spring to compress when the outer end of said plunger is engaged with the boot, continued movement of the actuator member and compression of the spring causing the binding to ultimately release; and means on said plunger coactable with said actuator member to enable the point at which the binding releases to be determined, said last-named means including force indicating graduations inscribed on the plunger and a resilient O-ring mounted on the plunger and normally located at the zero mark of the graduations, said O-ring being pushed along the plunger by the movement of said actuator member to the graduation that indicates the amount of force that was required to effect the release, said O-ring having a frictional engagement with said plunger whereby the ring remains at said graduation after the release has been effected.

3. A device for checking the release point of a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski, said device comprising in combination a base portion over which a portion of the ski is adapted to be positioned, means on said base portion engageable with one edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof, support means on said base portion, an actuator member slidably mounted in said support means, a plunger slidably mounted in said actuator member, the outer end of said plunger being engageable with the sole of a ski boot mounted in the ski binding, said plunger-boot engagement being at a point on the opposite side of the ski from the said base portion edge engaging means, a compression coii spring positioned in said actuator member, said spring being engaged at its opposite ends by an end of the actuator member and the inner end of said plunger, means comprising a swingable handle assembly to move said actuator member towards the ski boot without initially causing movement of said plunger, said actuator movement causing said spring to compress by reason of the outer end of said plunger Ibeing engaged with the boot, continued movement of the actuator member causing such compression of the spring as to cause the binding to ultimately release, and means on said plunger coactable with said actuator member to enable the point at which the binding releases to be determined.

4. A device for checking the release point of a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski, said device comprising in combination a base portion over which a portion of the ski is adapted to be positioned, said base portion being in the form of an elongated plate member of a length that exceeds the length of the portion of a ski normally occupied by the binding and boot, said plate including means for fixedly attaching it to a work bench and clamping means to releasably secure a ski in the desired position on the plate; means on said base portion engageable with one edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof; support means on said base portion; an actuator member moveable horizontally in said support means; a plunger slidably mounted in said actuator member; the outer end of said plunger being engageable with the sole of a ski boot mounted in the ski binding, said plunger-boot engagement being at a point on the opposite side of the ski from said base portion edge engaging means; a compression spring positioned in said actuator member, said spring being engaged at its opposite ends by an end of the actuator member and the inner end of said plunger; means to move said actuator member towards the ski boot, said actuator movement causing said spring to compress when the outer end of said plunger is engaged with the boot, continued movement of the actuator member and compression of the spring causing the binding to ultimately release; and means on said plunger coactable with said actuator mem ber to enable the point at which the binding releases to be determined.

5. In a device for checking the release point of a releasable ski binding, said device having a portion engageable with the ski on which the binding is mounted to prevent movement of the ski during the checking operation, means for applying to a ski boot firmly mounted in the ski binding a force suflicient to cause the binding to release whereby the boot is moved relative to the ski, said force applying means including a cylindrical member having force indicating graduations thereon and a resilient ring member mounted on said cylindrical member, operation of said force applying means to effect a release of the binding being operable to move said resilient ring member along said cylindrical member to the graduation on the latter that corresponds to the force required to effect the release, said force applying means being arranged so that said ring member remains at said graduation after the release has been effected.

6. A device for checking the release point of a releasable ski bin-ding mounted on a ski, said device comprising in combination a base portion over which a portion of the ski is adapted to be positioned, means on said base portion engageable with one edge of the ski to prevent lateral displacement thereof, support means fixed on said base portion, a tubular actuator member movable horizontally in said support means, a plunger slidably mounted in said actuator member, the outer end of said plunger being engageable with the sole of a ski boot mounted in the ski binding, said plunger-boot engagement being at a point on the opposite side of the ski from said base portion edge engaging means, a single compression coil spring located in the interior of said actuator member, said spring being engaged at its opposite ends by the actuator member and said plunger, means to move said actuator member towards the ski boot without initially causing movement of said plunger, said actuator movement causing said spring to compress by reason of the outer end of said plunger being engaged with the boot, continued movement of the actuator member causing such compression of the spring as to cause the binding to ultimately release, and means on said plunger coactable wtih said actuator member to enable the point at which the binding releases to be determined.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,421 8/1927 Lipschutz -a 7381 2,384,43'7 9/1945 Boynton 7381 2,616,292 11/1952 Malm 73161 2,667,781 2/1954 Barrett 73-101 2,698,757 1/1955 Berlenbach 28011.35 2,959,051 1l/1960 Simek et a]. 73101 3,090,225 5/1963 Hollar et al. 73101 3,222,922 12/ 1965 Isaac 73l33 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

C. A, RUEHL, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A DEVICE FOR CHECKING THE RELEASE POINT IN A RELEASABLE SKI BINDING MOUNTED ON A SKI, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A BASE PORTION OVER WHICH A PORTION OF THE SKI IS ADAPTED TO BE POSTIONED; MEANS ON SAID BASE PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH ONE EDGE OF THE SKI TO PREVENT LATERAL DISPLACEMENT THEREOF; SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID BASE PORTION; AN ACTUATOR MEMBER MOVABLE HORIZONTALLY IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS; A PLUNGER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER; THE OUTER END OF SAID PLUNGER BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SOLE OF A SKI BOOTH MOUNTED IN THE SKI BINDING, SAID PLUNGER-BOOTH ENGAGEMENT BEING AT A POINT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SKI FROM SAID BASE PORTION EDGE ENGAGING MEANS; A COMPRESSION SPRING POSITIONED IN SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER, SAID SPRING BEING ENGAGED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS BY AN END OF THE ACTUATOR MEMBER AND THE INNER END OF SAID PLUNGER; MEANS TO MOVE SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER TOWARDS THE SKI BOOT, SAID ACTUATOR MOVEMENT CAUSING SAID SPRING TO COMPRESS WHEN THE OUTER END OF SAID PLUNGER IS ENGAGED WITH THE BOOT, CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF THE ACTUATOR MEMBER AND COMPRESSION OF THE SPRING CAUSING THE BINDING TO ULTIMATELY RELEASE; AND MEANS ON SAID PLUNGER COACTABLE WITH SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER TO ENABLE THE POINT AT WHICH THE BINDING RELEASES TO BE DETERMINED, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING FORCE INDICATING GRADUATIONS INSCRINED ON THE PLUNGER AND A 